Automatic safety gas cock



. e t. A192 s-p 13 7 J. BALTHASAR ET AL AUTOMATIC SAFETY GAS COCK Filed Oct;

FIG. 1.

31a/ventataA Il: Ba/Zkaal JILG'eJL/z aw @D A' l W GBM-new Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BALTHASAR AND HERMAN GENTZ, OF JERSEY CITY, NEVI JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY GAS COCK.

Application filed October 1, 1925.

rl`his invention relatan'y to an automatic safety gas cock.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic latch mechanism for a gas cock or valve which will insure against thc unintentional opening ot the latter.

il further object olf the invention is to provide a latch mcchanisu'i ot the above mentioned type which may be released by a movementl ot the operating element in a direction which is convenient to the direction of movement of the valve operating lever or handle, whereby no dit'ticulty will be encountered iu operating both the latch and the valve plug with sub-,ftantially the same movement of the hand.

A further object ot the invention is to construct a latch mechanism so that adjustments made to the rotary plug of the valve to compensate l'or wear will not interfere with the operation ot the mechanisn'i.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

ln thevaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. and in which like .numerals are employed to designate like parta throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ot the automatic satety gas cock embodying this invention,

Figure i2 is top plan view ot the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the rotary plug` portion olE the valve and its operating lever or handle,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken upon lines lV-IV ot Fig. 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional vicw taken upon lines VV of Fig. 4, and

Figure shows in plan two difierent views ot a reciprocating plunger member.

lin the drawing. wherein tor the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment ot this invention. the numeral 5 designates the body portion of this automatic safety gas valve or cock wiich is formed with the usual or any desired terms of connections t3 and 7. This body portion has eX- tending therethrough the plug bore 8 which is slightly tapered and receives the body 9 ot the rotary valve plug 10 therein, the body 9 having a tightening stem 11 which is intended to be surrounded by the compression spring 12 and to have the lock nuts 13 threaded upon its lower end. The valve Serial No. 59,962.

bod)Y is further provided with the cutout portion le within which the movement limiting pin 15 rides for limiting the movement ot' the plug Ytrom a fully opened position to a tully closed position. 1t will be noted that the pin 15 is normally spaced from the bottom wall ot the cutout portion 14 and that this space will permit the body portion 9 of the plug 10 to be adjusted longitudinally ot the bore 8 to tighten the plug within the bore should the surfaces ot either or both become worn by use.

The valve body 5 has formed thereon a block-like extension 16 which has a bore 17 formed therein and extending from the bore t; entirely through the block-like extension 1G to the outer tace 18 of the same. Figure shows a latch bolt or plunger which includes the cylindrical body portion 19 having the notch 20 formed therein and extending' longitudinally thereof and the stem 21 which extends axially from the cylindrical portion 19. Figures 4 and 5 clearly show this plunger 19 as being positioned within the bore 17 and as being urged toward the valve plug 10 by the spiral spring Q2 which encircles the stem 21 and is adjustable b v the set screw 23 which is threaded in the outer end ot the bore 17.

The valve plug 1() is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 as having formed therein a recess 2l which is elongated in the direction ot the length of the plug 10. Figure 4 shows the end of the plunger body 19 as projecting in this recess 24. It will now be understood that when the valve plug 10 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1. i. c., with the port 25 of the plug arranged at right angles to the gas passageways 2G to shut off the flow of gas through the passageways, the plunger body 19 will automatically enter the recess Q4- and prevent the valve plug 10 trom being thrown into its gas passing or opened position by the plug operating lever or handle 27. It will be apparent that the elongated nature ot the recess Q4- will permit the valveI plug 10 to be moved longitudinally ot the bore S of the valve body for taking up wear in the plug or bore and still be positicned or arranged to receive the end ot the plunger body 19. The difference in size between the end of the plunger body 19 and the recess 21 is best illustrated in Fig. 1.

1t now becomes necessary to provide means for throwing the plunger into its valve plug releasing position when the plug 1() is to be loa moved into a position to permit the passage of gas through the device. Such means is provided in the form of a lever 28 Which is pivoted upon the removable pin 29, having the threaded head 30 connected to the blocklike projection 16, and formed With the operating thumb piece 3l and the plunger engaging finger 32 Which is notched at to permit movement of the extremity of this finger farther through the bore 17 than would normally be permitted by the wall 84 of the opening 35 formed for the finger 3Q. lt will be noted that the lever 28 pivots through a horizontal plane and that the valve plug operating level' or handle 27 also travels through a horizontal plane elevated in respect to the plane' of'movement of the lever 28. In moving the valve plug operating le` ver 27 into a valve opening position` therefore, the thumb piece 3l of the lever 28 may be engaged by the thumb of the hand operating the lever 27 and movement of the hand in one direction will cause the plunger body l5) to be moved out of the recess 24 and the valve plug 10 rotated into its gas passing or opened position.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, We. claim The combination With a gas cock including a body formed with a longitudinal gas pas* sage, and a rotary plug having a rigid handle extending laterally from one end thereof and adapted to project to one side of the body when the plug is positioned to close said passage, of a spring pressed latch bolt arranged longitudinally of the body and normally engaged with said plug to prevent rotation thereof from closed to open position, and a. thumb lever operatively connected at its inner end with the latch bolt and projecting to the other side of the body, said thumb lever being arranged to be engaged at its outer end by the thumb of the hand grasping the plug handle and to be pushed thereby for release of the latch bolt, the thumb lever and the handle being movable in the same direction about their axes for releasing the latch bolt and opening the plug, respectively.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

JOHN BALTHASAR. HERMAN GENTZ. 

